


A Land in Desolation (But This is Our Home)

by Dragon_of_Dreams



Series: Linked Universe Gift Exchange 2020 [4]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hyrule-Centric, LU Solar Solstice Gift Exchange 2020, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Rebuilding Hyrule, Zelda Cartoon Reference, bittersweet fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24815005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_of_Dreams/pseuds/Dragon_of_Dreams
Summary: “Speaking of… Hyrule, tell me more about your era.”“My era?” Hyrule asked. What could he say about his era that wasn’t riddled with hopelessness, as others saw it?But then he thought about it… as Wild started to put down wood for a campfire. The two sat down, with Hyrule watching as Wild started the flame. The living orange light sparkled into Hyrule’s eyes and its warmness comforted him into an embrace, as it always did from the cold and lonely nights.
Relationships: Hyrule & Wild (Linked Universe)
Series: Linked Universe Gift Exchange 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765594
Comments: 8
Kudos: 127





	A Land in Desolation (But This is Our Home)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lost_Sparrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lost_Sparrow/gifts).



> For Lucky in the Solar Solstice Gift Exchange. Enjoy.

The overgrown wilderness held a certain beauty that no walls of civilization could ever match. A hand reached out to touch the vines that had called the ruins their own, stroking it not like a parasite that must be eradicated, but like a blanket bringing new life and warmth to the cold stone.

“Hey, Hyrule. What are you up to?”

Hyrule jerked his hand back as if he had touched a flame, flustered at being caught by his mentor who now stood beside him. “Nothing,” he replied. “I was wondering about the ruins that’s all.”

Legend snorted, scanning the walls before continuing. “A shame, all that work for nothing.”

Hyrule could only watch as Legend stroked through the stone and the gaps in-between the walls, glaring with a cold eye and a somber frown at the bitter reminder of a hero: driving evil away was a temporary cure at best, a scarred reminder of Hyrule’s failures at worst.

A scarred reminder. The way the bitter veteran had softened his eyes on the traveler was not missed. Hyrule didn’t understand at first, how Legend looked at him as soon as Hyrule revealed he knew of the hero, his own predecessor, but it was there.

 _“I wish I had done more,”_ Legend had revealed just a few days ago. “ _I wish I had stopped Ganon. Killed that monster so you didn’t have to go through this.”_

_“But you have done more than enough! At least I got a home to go to!”_

But Hyrule now understood, even as he found comfort from the plant life blooming despite the ruined world surrounding it. People had found homes within those stone walls. But not him. Not him. Even the creatures who called this place home made it clear: a thriving tree lay surrounded by ruin, stabilized with wooden columns supporting a platform around the tree.

“Hey Hyrule, you coming?”

Hyrule turned, facing his companions who now were across the ruins. “I’m coming!” he cried, catching up to the group before everyone continued on through the grassy plains. The traveler walked to the champion’s side, who held a soft smile as he led the group ahead.

“We’re almost to the Serenne Stable.”

Hyrule nodded, before looking back at the ruins behind him. “What was that place?”

“According to my slate it’s called the Maritta Exchange Ruins,” Wild replied. “That’s all I know about it. Monsters live there now. That tree is their camp.”

It took a while before they reached the stable, but Hyrule stared in awe at the pine trees fencing around the tent, protecting the place from its elements in addition to the fence guarding the area. The traveler’s boots slid across the dirt, feeling safer now that he’s no longer out in the open (and the people here could be trusted, Wild reminded him).

The group called in for the night and headed to their beds once they paid. They all needed the rest to head out tomorrow but Hyrule had been itching to explore the ruins nearby. _Not yet,_ Hyrule thought as he sat on a bed, fiddling with the bedsheet. But Legend’s worried glance met Hyrule’s eyes, and the traveler sighed in defeat, now fully laying down into the bed.

Before he closed his eyes he saw Wild with a sparkle of his own.

* * *

“Hey, traveler. Wake up.”

Brown eyes opened to the whispers of the champion in front of him. He was about to open his mouth when Wild laid a finger on his lips. Looking around, Hyrule noticed that everyone else—even the light-sleepers such as Time, Twilight, and Warriors—were fast asleep. Hyrule grinned at Wild, and the champion’s nod was all the permission he needed.

So the traveler stood up, dressed up in his trusted green tunic and strapped his sword and shield. He turned to Wild, gasping as the champion no longer wore his precious blue tunic, but now a full green-and-brown attire reminiscent of Hyrule’s earlier years—both cap and tunic. The champion also lacked a shield on his back, taking only a sword and a quiver with his bow.

Hyrule whispered, “What’s with that getup?”

Wild grinned back.

He then beckoned the traveler to follow him. Outside the stable’s entrance awaited a magnificent horse: a dark brown with black mane and white feathered feet. The horse greeted the champion with its snout. Smiling, Wild patted the horse. “This is Rider,” he said to Hyrule. “We’re going to take him for a ride.”

“A ride?” Hyrule looked up at the creature. He had heard of horses being luxurious and rare creatures back in his time, yet here it was, a living beauty glancing back at him with loving eyes.

“Don’t be afraid, come pet him.”

Hyrule gingerly reached out his hand to touch the white streak running down the horse’s head. The horse snorted, but remained calm as Hyrule continued caressing him.

“This guy is friendly, huh.”

“Horses can be mean sometimes,” Wild replied. “I’m jealous that Twilight has a strong bond with Epona—she still doesn’t like me as much! But Rider will do. After all, he’s my boy. Come on, let’s go. Don’t let the others boss us around.”

Hyrule smiled. Wild helped him climb to the horse’s back before quickly joining in his saddle. “Hold tight around me,” Wild said. “Your sword shoots beams, right?”

“Right. Sword beams.”

“Alright,” Wild held onto the horse’s reins with both hands. “I’ll try my best to control Rider while you try to protect us. There’s bound to be monsters beyond.”

Hyrule gulped. “O-of course.”

“But I’m sure we’ll work great together. Let’s go.”

With a few pushes Rider began to trot, as Wild called it, moving at a brisk pace slightly faster than a walk. Hyrule looked up to the overcast sky with the clouds trying to keep the moonlight at bay, only for its white rays to break through the barriers. With the scattered light shining down at the plains brimming with life. Hyrule gapped with awe at the animals grazing under the pines.

Hyrule breathed in the fresh pine-scented air. “I love this,” he told Wild. “If I could have my own horse I’d totally do this.”

Wild chuckled. “What would you name it?”

“Name it?” Hyrule hummed. He thought of words: items, food, other things. Then he thought of a lady. “Catherine. I don’t know why, but I just like that name.”

“Catherine? Do you happen to like a girl?”

“W-What? No!”

He’d been talking too loud, Hyrule realized, as a goat lifted its head and ran away. It was then that his eyes landed on the wooden structures to his left, worn down and crumbled to the tests of time. _People used to live here,_ Hyrule thought with a grimace as he passed through the forgotten ruins. But Wild’s giggle rang in the air, snapping Hyrule out his thoughts as the champion’s joyful face brought him a smile. _People are still thriving,_ he thought.  
  
And so did monsters. A swarm of Keese headed to their direction. "Wait on my signal." Wild pulled out his slate and aimed at the Keese. With his magic (or technology, as he always called it), Wild froze one of them in place while the others, spooked by such act, fled back into the skies. Hyrule shot his sword beam at the frozen Keese before it could react and it vanished into a puff of smoke. The duo continued, with Hyrule taking a moment to breathe.

Until Wild stopped Rider. “To your right!”

Hyrule readied his sword with his right hand and immediately shot another sword beam at the green Octorok before it even had a chance. He scanned the surroundings for more monsters but found himself staring at the remaining wall of a building—a house?

Wild slowed the horse to a halt. “I think we're safe, let’s rest for a moment,” he said. “Rider isn’t used to having two people.”

After a nod from Hyrule, Wild dismounted and helped the younger traveler drop to the ground, taking him to the ancient wooden walls. The remains whispered to the traveler, of a former home brought down by disaster.“People used to live here?” Hyrule asked.

“It looks like a house, but we’ll never know.”

Hyrule blinked. He recalled structures like this back in his era, but they were such a commodity he hadn’t thought of them much. They were part of nature he’d guess, nothing more. But now that he knew of the thriving kingdoms from the others… How much had he really lost?

“Still, makes for a nice shelter,” Wild continued. “Someone used to camp here until a Bokoblin came. They haven’t come back since. But I’ve been using it myself whenever I pass through here.”

“If it were me I’d stay until no monsters roamed nearby,” Hyrule said, looking up through the gaps of the ceiling. “ I’d do anything to protect my home and its people.” Then he turned to the champion, giving a lopsided smile. “I’d protect them with all my heart.”

Wild’s hand gripped his shoulder, smiling. “And I’d do anything for mine, memories or not.”

After releasing Hyrule from his grasp, Wild approached his horse, feeding him his stack of red luxurious apples. “That’s why we have to see everything our land has to offer,” he continued once more. “What’s the point of protecting a land if you don’t even know what it has?”

Hyrule grinned.

“Speaking of… Hyrule, tell me more about your era.”

“My era?” Hyrule asked. What could he say about his era that wasn’t riddled with hopelessness, as others saw it?

But then he thought about it… as Wild started to put down wood for a campfire. The two sat down, with Hyrule watching as Wild started the flame. The living orange light sparkled into Hyrule’s eyes and its warmness comforted him into an embrace, as it always did from the cold and lonely nights.

A sparkle. And his mind flashed into a memory.

* * *

Hyrule. It was a land of hardship and desolation. Mastering survival was key in this world—one reigned by monsters and demons.

Link—before he took the land’s name as his own—called it home. It was all he knew: endless dreadful deserts and mountains drenched across the land, the endless forests that swallowed all sense of direction and purpose, the treacherous waters hoarded with monsters and harm, and the darkened caves that not only demons called home but also the people. It was his home…

Home… Link had roamed through the vibrant autumns of the woods, crushing the dead leaves as he ran past flying arrows. He held his shield high, flinching as one narrowed missed his side already marked with wounds. His heart pounded rapidly through his chest, breaking through his exasperated breaths as he kept avoiding Moblins.

But he couldn’t stop to breathe.

All Link had was a stick snapped in half. He kept running. Running, because that was all he knew. He got careless—too careless, and now he was praying to the gods for a cave called home and not a monster lair.

Back then he knew nothing of people outside the caves. Too dangerous, they’d say, only traveling around with purpose. Link wanted to find his.

Travel he did, and he thought he paid with his life as soon as he collapsed in front of a lake. He shut his eyes, waiting for the monsters to come and finish him off… but in those moments of darkness followed silence. Link then opened his eyes, looking around his surroundings and saw nothing but the lake sheltered by trees.

_“Come here, sweet child.”_

Link gasped, eyes following skyward as they found the owner of the soothing voice. A person with wings floating in the air, glowing with a brilliant light.

_“Don’t be afraid, sweet child. Come here, let me heal your wounds.”_

Heal. The soft-spoken word brought Link back to his knees, although he knew not what it meant. Still, he trusted this person—one with a soothing voice.

But he still had one question: _Who was this being?_

“I am a Great Fairy. It is my duty to heal the light of this land. Although I cannot leave like most fairies I will always offer my assistance.”

Then the fairy began to work with magic. With a sparkle, Link already started to feel much better. The wounds that had marred him vanished, erased as if he had never obtained them in the first place. Link gasped in awe at his newfound energy, twitching his fingers as if he had seen them for the first time in his life. He turned back at the Great Fairy and wondered if monsters, like wounds, could disappear.

“Should you be wounded again you can come back here.”

So too did the fairy disappear into the lake. Link kept staring at her original spot in awe, glancing at a brilliant blue of a woundless sky—a sky free of dangers and demons.

A sparkle. It was all it took.

* * *

A glowing light now surrounded the fairy form of the traveler. Hyrule smiled at his now much larger companion, eyes sparkling as the champion’s grin answered him.

“Come on, I have a place to show you,” Wild had said. The champion walked to the edge of the cliff, gripping his paraglider beside him. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Hyrule replied. He flew to Rider and kissed his forehead. “We’ll be back,” he told the horse. “We promise.” Hyrule hugged him before following Wild to the canyon below, gasping in awe at the massive structure blended with natural stone surrounding it.

As Wild landed on the floor, he turned to the fairy hero and with his spread arms, he said, “Welcome to the Forgotten Temple. Well… the top of it anyways. We have to drop further down to go inside.”

Wild jumped off the roof, using his paraglider to soften his landing. Then he paused, staring at a large opening beside him. Hyrule followed him, transforming back into his Hylian form before glancing at the large opening.

Wild breathed. “I-I don’t recall this. Last time I checked this was sealed off! We can explore a new part of the temple, Hyrule!”

The two green-clad heroes giggled. _Yes!_ Hyrule yelled in his mind. _Something new to explore for both of us!_ The two of them stared at the mouth of the temple—yearning to be discovered and explored by the heroes.

“We ready?”

Hyrule unsheathed his sword. A glowing ember emanated from its shining blade. “If all else fails use fire,” he said.

Wild brought out his torch, smiling. “You got it.”

They nodded at each other and marched on. The dark mouth may hold dangerous secrets, Hyrule thought, but could also hold pleasant surprises—like the Great Fairy who saved his life. He stepped forth, resonating with the beat within his heart. He’d do anything for the land of Hyrule—his home. Their home.

And it all takes a sparkle to bring light into the darkness.


End file.
